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Stricklander
Stricklander, also known by humans as Waltolemew "Walter" Strickler, is a Changeling and was the tertiary antagonist in Part One, later a major character in Part Three of Trollhunters. Official Description "As Jim's high school history teacher, Mr. Strickler is a caring mentor and constant source of guidance. But unbeknownst to Jim, Strickler is a Changeling (one of Gunmar's Troll spies who can take human form). Charming, manipulative, and literally two-faced, Strickler befriends Jim's mom and becomes the threat closest to home for Jim and his loved ones." '' History Backstory Like the other Changelings, Stricklander was changed at birth by his human Familiar, Waltolemew Strickler, becoming one of the spies of the Gumm-Gumms and a member of the Janus Order. Time ago, when Bodus discovered that the Triumbric Stones could be used to kill Gunmar, Stricklander took care of destroying his work after Bodus was killed. However, Stricklander seized the second point of the third Triumbric Stone, the Eye of Gunmar. At some point, he was sent to infiltrate Arcadia as a history teacher at Arcadia Oaks High. Part One (Trollhunters) Building the Killahead Bridge At first, Strickler is introduced as an ordinary school teacher, but in reality he was a Changeling Troll working together with Bular and his fellow Changelings Nomura and Gladys Groe, on a mission to reassemble the Killahead Bridge in order to free Gunmar from the Darklands. Strickler is shown to have a special bond with one of his students, Jim Lake Jr., showing himself supportive of his problems and calling him "young Atlas" for his way of "carrying everyone's weight on his shoulders". However, after Jim tried to tell him about his encounter with a certain pair of Trolls, Strickler sees the Amulet of Daylight in his backpack, discovering that he is the new Trollhunter. This is confirmed by seeing him with the Trollhunter Armor at school, although Jim is excused by saying that it is a disguise for the school play. Strickler then visits Jim's house to talk to his mother about his activities with theater and chess. As he leaves and discovers Bular spying on the house, Strickler reminds him that he can't just kill Jim without attracting attention, reminding him that he also failed to get the Amulet from Kanjigar. Despite the frictions by their different means of acting, Strickler forces Bular to stay out until find a means to deal with the first human Trollhunter. Strickler designates the Arcadia museum as a hiding place to rebuild the Killahead Bridge, receiving overseas the pieces provided by the Janus Order. However, he is forced to change its location after Jim and Toby discovered it as well as Nomura. After relocating the bridge, Stricklander and Bular decide to eliminate Nomura for having been exposed to the Trollhunter, however, Nomura manages to convince Bular not to kill her by showing him that she had obtained a Fetch, with which they could increase their Changelings legion, even when Strickler don't believe it necessary. Stirckler manages to evade Jim and Toby when they were looking for the Changelings in Arcadia with a Gaggletack, however, it bothers him that Bular doesn't care about anything that Gladys Groe was killed. After NotEnrique was sent as the new Changeling, Strickler decides that he should only report with him to hide Bular information about Trollmarket. When Otto brings the Eyestone and the Bridge is completed, Gunmar puts Bular in full charge of the operation despite admitting that Strickler was right in his means. Then, father and son decide to put Strickler's loyalty to the test by indirectly revealing Jim's identity as Changeling, so he can kill him and steal the Amulet to open the Bridge. The Battle for the Killahead Bridge Taking advantage of the attraction that Barbara Lake begins to have for him, Strickler accepts the invitation to go to her house for dinner. There, he and Jim have an indirect confrontation in which they end up revealing that they both already know who the other really is, unleashing a fight between them that they are forced to interrupt so that Barbara does not discover them. However, Strickler manages to take the Amulet of Daylight and replace it with a fake one. However, when Strickler tries to use the Amulet to free Gunmar, is revealed that this can only be done by the hand of the Trollhunter. After Nomura fails in capturing Jim and the real Amulet return to him, Strickler and Bular kindapts Blinky in order to force Jim to open the Bridge. However, the Trollhunter manages to use a Tubby Tracker so that Toby, Draal and AAARRRGGHH!!! could locate his whereabouts and go to his aid. During the subsequent battle, Strickler manages to make Jim open the Killahead Bridge, however, Draal jumps to remove the amulet, destroying again the Bridge in the process. After Bular's death, Strickler archieves to scape and take refuge with the Janus Order. Releasing Angor Rot Along with Otto, Stricklander travel to the Temple of Aysa-Thoon and use the Inferna Copula to release the ancient assassin Angor Rot from his letarge. With the power of the Inferna Copula, Stricklander was able to put Angor Rot under his orders. Upon returning to Arcadia, Strickler instructs Angor Rot to hunt and eliminate Jim, since if this one have success in releasing the Changeling Familiars from the Darklands, that will marking the end of all the Changelings. Angor sensed his master's fear of his power, taunting Stricklander about his inability to defeat Jim himself. Angor ends acceding to destroy the human Trollhunter, in his own ways. In order to re-infiltrate in Arcadia, Strickler uses his Antramonstrum to make Principal Levit "disappear" so he could take Levit's job as principal of Arcadia Oaks High. He then testifies as Angor Rot attacks Jim with a golem, demanding that he not do it himself. Part Two (Trollhunters) Part Three (Trollhunters) Part One (3Below) Brief Appearance Stricklander briefly appears when he accompanies Toby and Nomura at the Battle of the Bands, awaiting the Eternal Night. Later on, he is seen in his troll form, swooping down and snatching a Gumm-Gumm that was about to attack the aliens. Part Two (3Below) Physical Appearance In human form, Stricklander is a tall and handsome man with black hair and a large nose. He wears a blue shirt under a light brown jacket, with darker brown pants and dark brown shoes. In his Changeling form, he is a tall and slender Troll with green skin, yellow eyes, and large gray horns. He wears short brown pants, a large brown cape and a collar of removable metallic blades around his neck. In the darkness, his eyes glow green, similarly to those of a cat's. In Part Three, it's revealed that Strickler has large, bat-like wings similar to a Stalkling's. Personality As a teacher, Strickler is stern, but not unkind. Although he does not always keep the attention of his class, he is well-respected, unlike his colleagues Ms. Janeth or Coach Lawrence. Strickler's calm persona and fatherly demeanor make him seem to be a source of trustworthiness for Jim, who even attempts to confide his Trollhunter dilemma to him, albeit indirectly. Even after his revelation as an enemy to the Trollhunter, Strickler preserves his generally calm demeanor and honesty, noting to Jim that the concept of honor does not entirely agree with him, and eventually admitting his culpability in the turn of events that followed! Strickler is characterized by a general self-interest, usually at the expense of others, even his own allies. He is willing to have Nomura killed for revealing their operation's exposure and to establish himself as supreme lieutenant to Bular. Following Bular's death, he attempts to take over in place of Gunmar using Angor Rot to carry out his needs. Strickler often mentions to Jim that he considers his own interests above others. Strickler is patient in his schemes and machinations, something that sets him at odds with his superior Bular, who favors brute strength and immediate action. Even when directly engaging Jim at his house, Strickler is skilled enough to hide his disguise from Barbara Lake and escape with his true prize, the Amulet of Daylight. Strickler also held a great degree of influence in the Janus Order, bolstering its standing through carefully placed individuals. After Bular was slain and the Killahead Bridge destroyed, Strickler grows a more ruthless side to his personality, summoning the nearly uncontrollable force of Angor Rot and going against his subtle battle stratagems. Strickler also uses Barbara's affection towards him to his advantage by binding her fate to his, preventing the Trollhunter from engaging him directly. Behind his calm demeanor, Strickler is not completely fearless. He fears the power of Gunmar, and even that of Bular, as seen in his pixie-induced nightmare. The freedom of Angor Rot from his control leaves him no choice but to turn to his mortal enemy Jim for aid. Even with Barbara Lake's life at stake, Strickler refuses to give up the counter-curse for his enchantment at first due to his fear of Trollmarket's inhabitants and their potential reprisals. Strickler also fears Jim himself, although he openly denies it. Although his actions following the fall of Killahead Bridge did not always show it, Strickler shows genuine care for most of his changeling brethren, although he was not afraid to throw some, such as Nomura, under a bus when they threatened his position. He often cautions Bular to respect those who serve him, advice which Bular proceeded to ignore. Strickler chafes against the Bular and Gunmar's xenophobic attitude towards changelings and led the Janus Order with the goal of giving changelings a better status than that of second-class citizens. After the defeat of Angor Rot, Strickler undergoes a personality change. His rejection by Barbara Lake, along with Jim's noble actions to protect him, lead him to give Jim the third Triumbric Stone. Although Strickler does end up leaving Arcadia, he does so on better terms with his former student. He later returns to Arcadia along with Nomura to help Jim against Gunmar. Powers & Abilities Powers *'Changeling Physiology': Strickler has more abilities than any troll or human. **'Shapeshifting': As a changeling, Strickler possesses the ability to willingly transform between his human and troll forms, thanks to his bond with his familiar. He was able to pass as a high school history teacher and later principal. In his human form, Strickler can let some aspects of his true form show through, as seen when his eyes glow on multiple occasions. **'Enhanced Strength': Strickler is noticeably stronger than an average human, as he is able to punch Angor Rot several feet away with one punch. **'Superhuman Endurance': Strickler can endure more than a normal human. ***'Superhuman Durability': Thanks to his stone skin, Strickler can withstand strong blows. Although he can withstand the effects of the Sword of Daylight more than ordinary trolls, due to his changeling heritage, the blade's aura still causes him some degree of pain. ***'Superhuman Stamina': Strickler can physical exert himself for long periods of time without tiring himself. **'Superhuman Speed': Strickler is noticeably faster than most humans and trolls. ***'Superhuman Reflexes': In either form, he reacts faster than any human or troll. **'Superhuman Agility': Strickler is more agile than an average human. **'Superhuman Senses': As a changeling troll, Strickler’s senses are more acute than an average human's. **'Sunlight Resistance': As a changeling, Strickler is more resistant to sunlight, even in his troll form. **'Flight': Having been a Stalking troll before being turned into a Changeling, Strickler retained some attributes of his past heritage, like his wings that allow him to fly. **'Semi-Immortality': Like a troll, Strickler can live for hundreds of years without aging, through he’s still able to be killed. *'Magic: Strickler has the ability to use a limited form of troll magic, as proven in Part Three. He provided Jim with a magical incantation to help save Claire from Morgana's control and even briefly neutralize Morgana's magic. Abilities *'''Combatant: Strickler is an expert knife-thrower, able to hurl his collar knives with unerring accuracy and lethal force. He was also seen wielding the knives in between his fingers in the manner of brass knuckles; with these, he was able to parry Jim's attacks. He is also skilled in swordsmanship, able to disarm Jim and knock him down at the Killahead Bridge. Strickler tends to avoid direct confrontation, however, and he can be subdued by more experienced or stronger foes. Jim was able to get him in a headlock at his house before his mother interrupted, while Angor Rot was able to knock him back and deal a serious wound across his throat. *'Tactician': Strickler is an effective strategist who understands the value of restraint, unlike his former master Bular. He prefers patient build-up en route to a lethal strike, as opposed to using wanton destruction as Draal and Bular do. Strickler is a master of battle strategy, as he was able to turn Jim's house into a trap for Angor Rot, almost succeeding in trapping him under UV rays to turn him to stone. He was also able to counter Jim's plan of summoning Draal by quickly learning Jim's signals and countering them. Strickler possesses knowledge about both human and arcane history, as he was an effective history teacher while also acquiring devices and creatures such as the Lodestone and the Anstramostrum, and was also able to avoid being exposed as a changeling by Jim's and Toby's gaggletack. Strickler is a skilled enough tactician that he was praised by Gunmar himself for his decisions. Weaknesses *'Gaggletack': Like all changelings, Strickler can be forced to reveal his true form when in physical contact with a Gaggletack, although he is never seen being affected by one. *'Familiar Bond': In order for a changeling to maintain a human appearance in the human world, no harm must come to their familiar in their world (the Darklands). In this case, if Strickler's familiar was ever rescued from the Darklands, he will be trapped in his troll form forever. Equipment *'Collar Knives': Strickler wears a collar of metal throwing blades in his changeling form, which can be detached and used as throwing knives or in hand-to-hand combat. It is unknown what specific metal they are made out of, but one was able to survive being parried by the Sword of Daylight and was still strong enough to create a hole in the Lake house's wall. *'Changeling Key': Strickler conceals a key to a secret room in his school office within his favorite pen. The key will only open the door if a changeling holds it; otherwise, the lock will not open. Any changeling can use the key to open the door, as demonstrated by NotEnrique. It is currently unknown whether the key works only for the lock at Arcadia Oaks, or if any changeling lock can be opened. In the episode "In Good Hands", Strickler fixed his key so Jim and Toby could use it after Merlin set them on a task to find some ingredients for a potion. *'Antramonstrum Crystal': A purple, glowing crystal that contains the shadowy, all-consuming beast known as the Antramonstrum. The crystal was obtained from the Darklands and is Strickler's main form of security for his high school office. The Antramonstrum was triggered when Strickler's secret room was opened by Toby, Blinky Galadrigal and AAARRRGGHH!!!, but was eventually defeated when it was forced into the Fetch. Strickler apparently retrieved the creature, or had another one, after the Killahead Bridge was destroyed, and used it to assassinate Principal Levit to take his job as principal of Arcadia Oaks High. When Toby and Claire Nuñez re-entered Strickler's office to find the Book of Ga-Huel, the Antramonstrum and its Crystal were nowhere to be seen. Later on in the episode "In Good Hands", Jim and Toby collect the Antramonstrum from Strickler's old office for Merlin's elixir potion. *'Inferna Copula' (formerly): Strickler discovered this ancient ring following the events of the Killahead Bridge and enlisted Otto Scaarbach and Fragwa to find its owner, the sorcerer-assassin Angor Rot, whose soul was trapped in the ring. Strickler used the ring to protect himself from Angor's attacks, as well as to beat him into submission when the sorcerer grew insolent under Strickler's command. Tired of slaving under Strickler, Angor Rot made a deal with Jim Lake, offering to severe the connection between Strickler and Jim's mother in exchange for the ring. Jim used the Kairosect to steal the ring when Strickler was at the dentist, but it was inadvertently destroyed by Angor Rot in a confrontation in the sewers, leading to the assassin's pursuit of Jim and Strickler both. *'Various Troll Munitions': As part of his plan to fortify the Lake household against the rampaging Angor Rot, Strickler was able to acquire a plethora of Troll weaponry, including the Lodestone, a crossbow, trapping stones, and UV light generators. Although Angor managed to blindside Strickler, Jim, and Draal, the Trollhunter was able to delay the sorcerer using the Lodestone, while Strickler and Draal were able to temporarily immobilize Angor and attempt to petrify him with UV light. However, Barbara Lake accidentally broke the trapping incantation in an effort to protect her son, and Angor subsequently destroyed much of the booby traps. Relationships Jim Lake Jr. Before Jim discovered the Amulet, and before Strickler realized it, the two had a standard student-teacher relationship. Strickler knew about Jim Lake Sr.'s abandonment of his son and wife, and knew the lengths Jim would go to care for his overworked mother, inviting the young man to discuss his problems with him in private and dubbing him "Young Atlas." This, however, would lead to the deterioration of their relationship, as Strickler saw the Amulet after one of their meetings (although, by the look on his face, it most likely implies that he was both surprised and worried that Jim has been chosen to be the next Trollhunter and he never wanted it to be Jim). For his part, Jim didn't know Strickler's true allegiances until Bular, under orders of Gunmar, called him "Young Atlas," revealing Strickler's duplicity. From that point on, the two engaged in a bitter rivalry, arguably more personal than the enmity between Jim and Bular. Jim was furious with his former teacher for violating his trust and attempting to seduce his mother, while Strickler was enraged at Jim's refusal to surrender the amulet, claiming that Jim was only causing himself and his loved ones more pain. The tension peaked when Strickler was invited to dinner at the Lake household, culminating in Jim and Strickler dueling while Barbara cooked, unaware. At the Second Battle of Killahead Bridge, Strickler was able to use Jim's armlock maneuver against him to unlock the Bridge, only for Draal to tear the Amulet free at the cost of his arm. Beaten, with his allies slain or banished, Stricklander disappeared from Arcadia. This humiliation at the hands of his former student led Strickler to plan for revenge and insurance against the Trollhunter. He discovered the Inferna Copula, using it to summon Angor Rot. At the same time, he had Janus Order operatives placed in key locations, aiming for world domination. Strickler had Angor Rot begin hunting for Jim, while at the same time using Angor's magic to bind Barbara to himself, preventing Jim from attacking him and driving their enmity to new lows. The breaking point came after the Inferna Copula was destroyed, angering the ancient magician and driving him to kill both Jim and Strickler. A desperate Strickler swallowed his pride and turned to Jim. Before Barbara was cured and lost memory of the Troll World, a remorseful Strickler left Arcadia, but not before making amends with Jim. Eventually, when Gunmar and his minions made it to Earth, the reformed Nomura came back with Strickler to help the Trollhunters stop the Gumm-Gumms from taking over the world. The two began secretly training to help Jim become better at his fighting skills, much to Blinky's dismay. Strickler also shows pity and sympathy for Jim when he permanently transforms himself into a human-troll hybrid and tries to help both him and his mother get through this. Barbara Lake Strickler fell in love with Barbara, but when he found out that Jim was the new Trollhunter, he used an evil spell to bind them together so Jim wouldn't attack him. On Barbara's side, she thought highly of Strickler and dated him for a while. However, when Angor Rot decided to kill Jim and Strickler, Strickler became worried about Barbara and saw the error of his ways. He then decided to give Jim the third stone and break the spell. When Barbara was being cured and erased of her memory, she bitterly told Strickler that she'd be glad to not remember him after all he had done. In Part Three, when Barbara's memory returns, Strickler tries to show her that he has reformed and declare his eternal love for her, but to no avail. Slowly, they start to rekindle their relationship when Morgana escapes her prison. Possibly, just for Barbara's sake, he cares for her well-meaning as he begs Jim not to go through his transformation. In the end, he stays in Arcadia with Barbara to help raise the Changelings' familiars. Nomura As stated by Strickler himself, he and Nomura are personal friends, due to being changeling kindreds. However (at first), he was willing to leave Nomura to be eliminated by Bular when she fails to keep Jim and Toby away from the Killahead Bridge in the museum. As of Part Three, they appear to have rekindled their friendship and they both help train Jim into accept his inner darkness. Strickler was even worried for Nomura's safety when she never answered his calls and believes that he should've gone with her. Gunmar Bular Angor Rot Merlin When Stricklander meet Merlin for the 1st time he kneeled in respect to him knowing that he was in the present of a living legend and immortal. Morgana Quotes Main article: Stricklander/Quotes Episode Appearances Trivia * Stricklander is the first major antagonist to reform, not counting NotEnrique. * There is also is a character named "Principal Strickler" in the show, Teacher's Pet. * His real name is "Stricklander", but most of the characters call him, "Strickler" because it's easier to pronounce. * A male character named Richard Strickland serves as the villain in Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus' Shape of Water, a character appearing in both the film and the novel that were developed simultaneously. * In "In Good Hands," Stricklander claims that he's a good swimmer. * In "Becoming: Part 1" it is revealed that Strickler's phone number is 555-0101. 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